As promised, behold my solution for storing and organizing Christmas cards, both sent and received.
I adapted an idea shared by Donna Downey in Simple Scrapbooks magazine years ago. Her project was a handmade album for saving children's school artwork using 11 x 14 manila envelopes.
For this Christmas card keeper, I used the 7.5 x 10.5 manila envelopes instead and created a sturdy chipboard cover to fit the size, which I covered in patterned paper. (Stamps are by Technique Tuesday; patterned paper by the now-defunct Scenic Route.)
You could bind yours however you like. My cover is hinged and folded over on itself (secured with book-binding tape). Then I punched holes through the cover flaps and through all the envelopes, securing them with ribbon. Simple! (I think the Japanese book binding technique would also look cool.)
On the inside front cover, I included a photo showcasing when this card keeper starts--which is the year after we were married.
I include my family's Christmas card on the outside of that year's envelope.
And I fill each envelope with favorite cards from friends and family--just those I know I'll want to save.
I've prestamped my envelopes through 2015, which seemed VERY far away at the time. But now...not so much.
As mentioned in my last post, no Lucas family Christmas cards were sent out in 2008 or 2009. Whatever will I do with the covers of those blank envelopes (which will still be filled with cards I received)? I'll include a family picture (the one I might have chosen had we sent Christmas cards), plus an explanation of why the Christmas cards didn't go out that year. And luckily, I've already written those explanations in yesterday's blog post! Just copy and paste, baby.
